Machine for bending angle-iron.



' No. 709,232. .Panama sept. le, |902.V

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MACHINE FonENnma-ANGLE mon.

(Application med my s1,- 1so2.)` (No Model.)

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y UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM VOLLMER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR BENDING ANGLE-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,282, dated September 16, 1902.

Application led May 31,1902. Serial No. 109,658. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that 1,W1LHEL`M VOLLMER, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Bending Angle-Iron, of which the following is a specification'.

y This invention relates to' improvements in that type of bending-machine illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 699,858, granted to me May 13,1902. In further developing this style of machine it was found desirable to provide, especially for bending heavy angle-iron, further means for maintaining the iron in proper position during the bending operation, as the iron has a very strong tendency to buckle out'of shape and out of position in the machine, and also to provide means for preventing the stretching of the metal at the bend. p For carrying out these objects I change the position of the hinge of the presser-plate or supplemental operating-arm by which. the stock is retained, the said hinge being now arranged so that said presser-plate swings uniformly toward both of the working faces of the formingblock instead of swinging toward one face directly and the other laterally, and, seeondly, I provide two rests for the metal, one rest upon the bending-lever'and the other at the opposite side of the forming-block, so that the stock is retained between said rests and the presser-plate. A gage is also provided at the opposite end of the metal from the rest upon the bending-lever, which latter rest acts as a gage for the forward end of the metal and eifectually blocks the same against outward movement, so that by the saine I am enabled to forcibly upset the horizontal flange of the iron at the bend and obviate the undue stretching of the vertical flange, which has been a great disadvantage heretofore in the bending of angleiron.

The invention consists, further, in certain other combinations of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side view of `my improved machine. .Fig` 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4. is

a section through the forming-block, guideblock, and bending-lever, the latter of different form from that in Figs. 2 and 3; and Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of an angle-iron before and after bending.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A indicates the base-plate or bed of the machine, which is supported on suitable feet a and provided at one end with a longitudinal groove or guide-slot ct and with recessed guideways o?, one at each side f the slot at the under side of thebase or bed A. Upon the base-plate is mounted, at the upper side of the same, a guide-'block B, and upon said block is located a top plate C. Said block and plate are secured to the base A by bolts n 'n' or any other suitable means. Between the base A and top plate `C is pivoted the bending-lever D by means of trunnions i i. When in retracted position, the lever enters a suitable recess in the guideblock. l

E indicates the forming-block. The same is mounted at the upper side of the base or bed and is provided with a downwardly-extending shank e and a ange e', adapted to slide in the guideways a2, whereby the block is guided. For adjusting and retaining the guide-block in position a retaining member in the form of a rod d is provided, which is threaded at its outer end and engages a threaded sleeve d', secured to the lower end of the block E below the bed. At its opposite end the rod d passes threugh a bearing d2 of the base or bed A and is provided at one side of said bearing with a collar d3 and at the other side with a hand-wheel d4. For accommodating the metal the upper edges of the working faces n3 m5 of the forming-block are rounded off, as shown.

F indicates the presser-plate, which, as above referred to, is pivoted so as to swing equally toward both bending-faces of the forming-block, so that when vthe iron is bent the buckling of the flange is equally resisted at both sides of the bending edge or corner e2 of the block and the plate cannot tilt upwardly at either side independent of the other during the bendingoperation. For maintaining the plate in position the same is hinged over its entire width and for the full For retaining the plate in depressed position;

a screw-eye m is screwed into the top plate and a link fm.' located in said eye,-which linkv is adapted to be placed over theend of the arm or handle f', as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The link may be provided at its upper end with a suitable handle for conveniently operating the same, if desired. The screweye is screwed loosely into the top plate, so that when thicker or thinner iron is to be worked the link may be adjusted in vertical direction byfturning the same and the eye so as to bring the presser-plate into position for holding the iron firmly. It is not necessary that the presser-plate bear directly upon the entire upper face 'of the metal. For -upsetting the metal at the bend and for stopping the presser-plate at the proper point an upsetting plate or abutment gis provided at the top of the forming-block, said plate being preferably of approximately the same thickness as the horizontal liange of the iron. The forward end or point of the plate gis rounded,

^ so as to provide room for the metal upset at the bend. The sides of the plate are arranged parallel with the sides of the forming-block and form an abutment for the flange. For adapting the machine for iron of different widths and thicknesses plates of different sizes may be used, and for this purpose I make the sameremovable from the block, each plate when in use being secured to the formingblock by a screw or other suitable fastening means. For retaining the plate in position againsttu rning or being displaced on the block I provide a raised abutment g', against which the plate is adapted to bear at its rear, said abutment being preferably made integral with the forming-block and .preferably extending entirely across the same, so as to give support to the extreme ends of the plate. For supporting the iron at points beyond the forming-block a rest h is provided on the guideblock, said rest having a slot and being secured to the block in any desired position by means of its set-screw. On the bending-lever D is provided a sliding rest or gage h', having two set-screws. h2 hg for locking it in position on the lever. This rest or gage is provided with a vertical recess h3, adjacent the lever,

and with a shoulder h4, located at the samel height as the top of theforming-block. The rest or gage h is furthermore provided with a portion h5, located in the path of the iron when in said recess, so that the iron is prevented thereby-from longitudinal movement in outward or forward direction. For adapting the rest to metal of different dimensions the longitudinal opening of the same is made of greater Width than the thickness of the lemovable plate ft2 between the rest and lever at either side of the latter, as desired, so that the width vof the recess is increased or diminished. For supporting the vertical ange at its under side a removable block 725 is located in the socket or recess of the rest and secured therein by a set-screw i4. By substituting blocks of different' heights the rest is adapted to support at the vertical flange iron of different thicknesses, the upper or horizontal angeof the iron resting on the shoulder h4.

In order to prevent movement of the iron in rearward direction during the bending act,

ya rear gage is provided. A rod k, of round iron, is screwed or otherwise secured to the guide-block.B,-and the gage k is located thereon and adjustable longitudinally and circumferentially, so as to be set at any desired point or swung so as to be entirely out of the path of the iron when not desired to be used. A set-screw k2 in the gage serves for retaining the same where placed. The forming-block E is first adjusted, the iron inserted with its vertical flange between the `ver D,-so as to permit the insertion of a re i same and guide-block, the gages and rests are adjusted, the block E then is preferably moved up by turning hand-wheel d4 so as to tightly clamp the iron between the same and the guideblock B, the presser -plate depressed, its locking-link thrown over, and the bending-lever is then swung, thereby bending the iron G into the same. (Shown in Fig. 6.) `The leveris swung back, the link released and the presser-plate raised, the bent angleiron removed and a new piece inserted, the presser-plate again depressed and the forming-block tightened, and the bending-lever again swung, the same operations being repeated for subsequent pieces.

When bending angle iron by ordinary means, such as dies and levers heretofore in use, the strain of compression of the horizontal flange longitudinally at the bend causes a tearing strain in the vertical fiange, tending to part the same at the bend. The tendency is for the net length of the iron to be slightly increased, an actual stretching occurring at the bend. This slight lengthening, with its resulting great weakening of the vertical flange at the bend, occurs when bending iron unconfined at its ends, as all iron has been heretofore. By my improved machine, however, I block the iron at the ends, and particularly at the moving end, whereby extensionof the same is prevented, the extra4 metal being upset at the horizontal flange at the bend. The machine upsets the horizontal iiange at the bend to a much larger degree than has been heretofore accomplished, and stretching and weakening of the vertical ange at the bend are obviated. This is accomplished, primarily, by the gage h on the bending-lever, which blocks the forward end of the iron and exerts a positive and forcible compressing action on the same when the lever is swung. Any suitable means may be ICD 'IOS

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employed for holding the iron at its rear or opposite end; but when heavy iron is to be bent it is preferable to employ the gage k and also to screw the forming-block up so as to tightly clamp the iron between the same and the guide-block. By reason of the compression action caused by blocking the outer endof the iron I can make a sharper bend than was heretofore possible without any danger of rupturing the veitical iiange.

` The bearings of the bending-lever may be made as indicated in Fig. 4, in which` case trunnions of the same Width as the body of the lever and located in the plane of the same are indicated. For reducing the extent of compression, however, and for increasing the leverage it is desirable to bring the centers of the lever-trunnions nearer the metal. For

. doing this the trunnions are preferably made of a diam eter twice the thickness of the leverbody, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, and the lever-body is located at the rear side of the trunnions-z'. e., that side of the same away from the forming-block-whereby the surface of the metal and the centers of the trunnions are brought adjacent, or the trunnions may bear any other desired proportion to the lever-body, so as to obtain the desired compression and leverage.

The machine shown is adapted for operation by the right hand of the operator. For adapting it to a left-hand operator the bolts n n are removed, the guide-block, top plate, and lever turned over, so that the guide-block extends over the opening nz of the base and adjacent the `face fc3 of the forming-block, and the lever extends as indicated in dotted lines n4. The machine is then operated from the other side.

It is obvious that the machine may be operated either by hand or power and may be employed not alone for bending angle-iron, but also for bending flat or round iron of suitable dimensions.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a machine for bending angle-iron, the combination, with a base or bed, of a guideblock on the same, a forming-block on said bed having two contiguous working surfaces, a bending-lever, an j upsetting-abutment on said forming-block parallel with said Working surfaces and being oset therefrom, and a presser-plate coperating with said abutment to form a recess for the horizontal fiange of the iron, substantially as set forth.

i 2. In a machine for bendingangle-iron, the combination, with a base or bed, of a guideblock on the same, a forming-block on said bed having two contiguousworking surfaces arranged at an angle each to the other, a

`bending-lever, an upsetting-plate on said forming-block, having faces disposed parallel to said Working surfaces and offset some distance therefrom, and a pivoted presser-plate adapted to swing in a vertical plane centrally between said working surfaces and to copcrate with said upsetting plate to form a recess for the horizontal iian ge of the an gie-iron, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine forbending angle-iron, the combination., with the base or bed, of a guideblock on the same, a forming-block on the bed, a bending-lever, a presser-plate, a gage on the bending-lever for causing the upsetting of the metal simultaneously with the bending of the saine, and a removable upsetting-plate on the forming-block, between the saine and the presser-plate, said upsettingplate being cut away at its forward portion in rounded form so as to receive the upset metal of the horizontal ii'ange of the iron, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a machine for bending angle-iron, the combination, with a base or bed, of a guideblock on the same, a forming-block on the bed, a bending-lever, interchangeable upsetting-plates for said forming-block, a presserplate on said forming-block, and an adjustable retaining means on said guide-block for retaining the presser-plate in depressed position, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for bending angle-iron, the combination, with a base or bed, of a guideblock on the same, a forming-block having working portions at the edges of two adjacent sides and the top surface, a bending-lever, a presser-plate arranged on said forming-block, an upsetting-plate on said forming-block between the same and said presser-plate, a vertically-adjustable rest on said guide-block, and a longitudinally and laterally adjustable rest carried on said bending-lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for bending angle-iron, the combination of a bending-lever, a sliding rest carried on the same, said rest being recessed next to the lever-body for receiving the vertical flange of the angle-iron, a vertically-adj ustable block secured i-n said recess, and means for adjusting said rest laterally on the lever for changing the width of said recess, substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine for bending angle-iron, the combination, with the base or bed, of a reversible guide-block on the same, a formingblock on the bed, a reversible top plate on the guide-block, a bending-lever, and means for securing said guide-block, top plate and lever in position on said bed at eitherI side of the forming-block, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my naine in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILHELM VOLLMER.

l/Vitnesses:

JOSEPH H. NILEs, PAUL GoErnL.

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